


Take It Easy, Old Man

by AsheTarasovich (natalieashe), Boffin1710, natalieashe



Series: Secret Garden [10]
Category: James Bond (Craig movies)
Genre: Idiots in Love, Injury Recovery, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Q Has a Cat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-30
Updated: 2015-05-30
Packaged: 2018-04-02 00:14:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4040086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/natalieashe/pseuds/AsheTarasovich, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Boffin1710/pseuds/Boffin1710, https://archiveofourown.org/users/natalieashe/pseuds/natalieashe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alec is home from Medical but Q must return to work</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take It Easy, Old Man

"The red ones are twice daily. The small white ones are to be taken with the yellow ones. And you can double up on the large white ones if..."

Alec reached out his hand for the plastic box that Q was poking through. "For fucks sake Q, stop fussing and go to work. I'm perfectly capable of managing a few pills by myself. You're only away for eight hours."

"I'm not fussing" Q huffed indignantly continuing to list out the various medications, dosage and frequency as though Alec hadn't spoken. A need to return to work and leave Alec alone had caused uncharacteristic panic in the young Quartermaster. Endearing for all of twenty minutes, Alec was now contemplating faking a relapse to be re admitted to Medical for some peace.

Alec ignored his lover's data stream and turned his attention to Q's tablet that lay on his lap. Q had insisted on downloading half a dozen movies for him to watch to ensure Alec would not try to move from the sofa, but as soon as he unlocked it he was faced with an open app.

"Q. Please tell me this is not a bloody spreadsheet to monitor my medication."

Q finally stopped talking and blinked slowly. "I am leaving my very precious tablet in your care Alec. That should tell you how important this is. Dr O'Reilly was adamant that you only be allowed home if..."

"You are going to receive an alert every time I fail to tick off a pill within a specified time tolerance aren't you?"

Q pouted. "Might do."

Alec thrust the tablet at him. "Take it and go to work. Call me at lunchtime and not before. And stop worrying. I will be fine. Look, mobile, TV remote" holding up both, and then nudging the hated stick with his toe. "I even have the fucking 'balance aid' you all insist I need."

Q glared at the walking stick Medical had issued to Alec. His back and legs were fine, but the head trauma had left him with balance issues. It was expected they would eventually pass as the bruising to his brain healed but the chirpy therapist had recommended it as 'another point of contact with the ground while you're setting off'. Alec had muttered about it being a good point of contact with her stupid arse face but Q had made him accept it.

Q snatched the device away and shoved it into his messenger bag moodily. "I'm supposed to care for you. You almost died on me, you bastard."

Alec sighed. It wasn't Q's fault. "I'm sorry. I'm a bastard when I'm forced to sit on my arse. Give me the tablet, kiss me, then get the fuck out of here and come home soon. It's going to be a long day on my own." He grinned when Q handed the tablet back, full lower lip still jutting. He felt something drop into his lap when Q's lips brushed his and when Q turned away Alec picked up some kind of red button on a string. "What the fuck is this now?"

"You wear it round your neck. Push the button if you fall and I'll get an emergency call." He said cheekily.

"Out!" Roared Alec. "Little shite!"

Alec was restless, aching from inactivity and itchy under his dressings. TV was a bore and the movies on Q's tablet were far too intellectual for a confined double o. The day stretched ahead of him, time passing marked by entries on a spreadsheet and Q's upbeat text messages praising him for putting a tick in the box within the time limit. 

Amelie stalked into the living room and sat down on the rug, staring at him with wide yellow-green eyes. "So what do you do for fun all day?" He asked the cat. "Go on, tell me you're secretly an international feline spy and... I'm talking to the fucking cat." 

He sighed and picked up the stupid emergency button on its cord. He could push it, he supposed. Summon Q home to entertain him. He smirked at the thought of the dressing down he would receive if he tried it, and then sobered when he realised there would probably follow a genuine emergency if he frightened Q that badly so soon after...

"Fucking hell!" He yelped as Amelie pounced, sinking her claws into his knee. "What the fuck...? Oh! You want to play?" He tugged on the cord of the emergency button, flicking it across his leg so the cat could chase it. She padded at it initially, uncertain of this new game, then as Alec dragged the cord across the sofa she leapt across his legs to chase it, needle sharp claws slicing into his thigh. "Ow, you little shite. You're as vicious as your bloody human. No more playing. Bad cat."

Amelie dashed from the room startled by his sharp words. A few moments later he heard her wowling in the kitchen. He sighed. No doubt Q had forgotten to unlock the cat flap again. Slowly he struggled to his feet, gripping the arm of the sofa while he found his balance. "I'm coming, you noisy furball" he grumbled, ignoring the fuzzy feeling at the edges of his vision.

The perfume from the garden was wonderful through the open door. Not floral, although some of his plants were fragrant, but fresh and green, as if a colour could have a fragrance. He chuckled "Best to keep any poetic thoughts to myself, eh cat? Q would have Medical shining lights in my eyes if I start getting soppy about this place." The cat blinked at him once and then trotted outside, tail held high as she investigated.

He swallowed a couple of the large white pills with water and then made a mug of instant coffee, too lazy to faff with the gleaming coffee contraption James had bought them. He used one hand on the bench for balance and to carefully slide the drink along the counter towards the back door with each wobbly step. One hand gripping the door frame, the other balancing the mug, he lifted one foot over the threshold and placed it unsteadily on the step. Almost there.

His phone pinged in the living room where he had forgotten it. "Fuck!" Without considering he needed to be careful he turned to fetch it. The world lurched to one side and then he was falling...

"You have a small feral beastie sitting on your chest."

The amused voice swam out of the darkness. The warm pressure that weighed his chest shifted and got comfortable again, tail brushing his chin as it wrapped around the small cat's body.

"It won't let me move it so I can look at you. I can't see any blood and you aren't swearing up a storm, so I think you're probably ok. Odd place to take a nap."

"She, not it. Amelie." Though why it was more important to correct the voice than it was to open his eyes - or move - he couldn't say. Training? That was probably it. Something about using your senses to assess the danger you were in before alerting kidnappers that you had woken. He did the mental checks for pain but everything was pleasantly dreamy. Oh yes, the damn pills...

A rumbling vibration started up against his chest as the contented cat took advantage of her warm perch and began padding him. The voice chuckled and Alec sensed the other body crouch beside him. "Did you do all of this? Q said you'd developed a love of plants but this is impressive. Quite the Alan Titchmarsh."

Alec flicked his eyes open and winced at the glaring sunshine. His left side was damp and smelled of coffee, his back was cold from the concrete and two pairs of bright eyes stared at him. "Either you're more intelligent than you look, or Q got worried" he muttered. He was fairly sure by now he had a few more bruises but nothing more serious.

"I hope that was directed at the cat" James smirked, finally offering his hand to help Alec up. "I was already on my way over here when Q called. Speaking of which..." He pulled Alec to sitting, dislodging the disgruntled cat, and handed him his ringing mobile. "I'll let you explain to your freaked out lover why you failed to check in at the appointed time. Thought he'd be used to that by now. Situation normal for us."

"What the bloody fuck happened?" Q demanded before Alec even had a chance to say hello. "You missed three bloody pills before I rang James. Three, Alec! Don't worry, you said. I'll be fine, you said. You said you could handle things alone and I didn't need to check on you. But you missed... And I... And you... And I'm on my way home!"

"Q love, shut up." Alec rubbed the back of his neck. Following Q when in rant mode always required concentration and the fuzzy cotton wool of his brain wasn't up to it. "You don't need to come home. James is here."

"Too bloody late for that Alec. I'm five minutes out and you better have a good excuse prepared for when I stop yelling at you!"

Alec opened his mouth to reply but Q was already gone. "Fuck! Help me up James. And not a bloody word to the little shite about this..." He gestured to the broken mug belatedly realising it was Q's favourite afternoon mug. "Bollocks! I am in so much trouble."

"What the bloody hell are you doing out here? Hello James" Turning back to Alec who was now reclining on the garden bench with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders like a cape, nursing a fresh cup of coffee. "You were under strict orders not to move from the sofa!"

"Orders, Q? Really?" James chuckled. "He doesn't follow his Quartermaster's orders in the field. What on Earth made you think he would at home? Unless you two have a special arrangement I know nothing about." James winked as Q's cheeks turned rosy and he stumbled in the flow of his rant. He huffed and pushed Alec's feet off the bench so he could sit.

"Don't try to distract me," he sulked, pushing his glasses more firmly onto the bridge of his nose. He reached down and lifted Amelie into his lap, scratching her cheeks until she purred loudly.

"I'm fine! Your bloody cat wanted to be out. I just came out for two minutes and the stupid pills made me fall asleep out here."

"It's true. I found him flat out," James smirked. 

Q looked between the two agents sure he was missing something. His nose twitched sensing a lie. "You two are conspiring to mislead me." He curled into Alec's side, leaning against his shoulder. The blanket slipped free and Alec winced. Q looked up at him and scowled.

"You came out here and fell asleep? No mishaps? Nothing you want to tell me?"

"Nothing at all. James woke me with a cup of coffee and made me aware how worried you were." Alec leaned towards him for a kiss. "I would have called if I needed you, you know that. Pushed your silly red button."

Q smiled and moved to meet him halfway, running his fingers through Alec's hair. "The silly red button that's still on the sofa? And James thought the best way of waking you with coffee was to throw it all over you?" Q asked sweetly "and tucking flower petals in your hair too? Nice try Trevelyan. You just earned yourself a babysitter for the next few weeks." Glaring at James "and you just found an assignment."


End file.
